Coin sorter anvil mounting

ABSTRACT

In a coin sorter in which coins and slugs roll down a runway past a magnet which affects their speeds an anvil is provided above the path of genuine coins leaving the runway, so that is is struck only by slugs which leave the runway at a greater speed than the genuine coins, such slugs bouncing off the anvil into a rejection path which is also followed by slugs which leave the runway at a slower speed than genuine coins, the genuine coins alone following an acceptance path. This is particularly useful in coin sorters which have a separate, parallel runway for allnickel coins, the latter entering the separate runway via an aperture in a plate and eventually passing through another aperture in the plate to follow the acceptance path. The allnickel coins are drawn through the first-mentioned aperture by a magnet against the resilient action of a spring-urged gate and stops are provided for limiting both inward and outward swinging movements of the gate.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Wilson M. Stewart [2]) Appl. No. 849,313 [22] Filed Aug. 12, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 [73] Assignee Vendall Machines Limited both of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [32] Priority Apr. 14, I969 [33] Canada [31 048,656

{54] COIN SORTER ANVIL MOUNTING 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs, [52] U.S.Cl 194/101 [51] Int. Cl G071 3/02 [50] Field Search .L 194/100,

101, 99 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,839,874 1/1932 Gottfried 194/101 2,076,862 4/1937 Patzer 194/101 X PATH FOLLOWED BY BRASS SLUGS 25 SILVER COINS COPPER SLUGS PATH FOLLOWED BY,L

g I l -Q\ I PATH FOLLOWED BY ,7/

2,763,356 9/1956 Tratsch 3,168,180 2/1965 Erickson Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Smart & Biggar ABSTRACT: In a coin sorter in which coins and slugs roll down a runway past a magnet which affects their speeds an anvil is provided above the path of genuine 'coins leaving the runway, so that is is struck only by slugs which leave the runway at a greater speed than the genuine coins, such slugs bouncing off the anvil into a rejection path which is also followed by slugs which leave the runway at a slower speed than genuine coins, the genuine coins alone following an acceptance path. This is particularly useful in coin sorters which have a separate, parallel runway for all-nickel coins, the latter entering the separate runway via an aperture in a plate and PATENTEU M82419?! SHEET 1 0F 3 INVENTOR wu. ON M. STEWART BY ,1 4%.14/ 5/ ATTOR ES s PATENTEUAUBZMQTI 3,601,238

SHEET 2 [1F 3 O E E INVENTOR WILSON M. STEWART LQQM/z ATTORNEYS PATENTED Aus24 IHYI 3,601, 238

SHEET 3 UF 3 PATH FOLLOWED BY BRASS SLUGS PATH FOLLOWED BY,. -A 250 SILVER COINS PATH FOLLOWED BY \J/ COPPER SLUGS 4 INVENTOR WILSON, M. STEWART BYMM'W ATTiR s com sonrriiij ANVIL MOUNTING BAcKoiiouNDoF This iNvEisTioN Th'is invention reIates to coin sorters ofthe type used in vending machines to sort genuine coins from spurious coins,

such as steel, brassorecopper slugs, and reject the Iatter for.

return to the user. I I

In coin sorters at presentlin use itis common to have the coin sand slugs roll down an inclined runway between-plates andpast a magnet, thus. affecting their speed so that brass H slugs, for example, will leave the runway at a higher speed and copper slugs. ata lower speed than that at which genuine coins leave the runway. The coins and slugs then strike an anvil and rebound either into an acceptance path, in the case of the genuine coins, or into-a rejection path'for the slugs.

With the advent of all-nickel coinage in Canada, I invented I I of the all-nickel-coins throughs'aid.secondaperture I provided an anvil which. was l aterally moyable but I have now discovered better solution,

BRIEFSUMMARY OF-THE- INVENTION Thus, accordingto the present invention, l1 provid'e'a coin. sorter having a runway down which genuine coins andslugs travelpast a magnet and. are influencedby thelatter sothat anvilspacedfrom theendof said: runway anddisposed above the pathofi genuine coinspassing-fromthe endof said' runway into anacceptance path, theanvil being positionedsuch that slugsleaving the runway, at aspeedinexcess of thatatwhich genuine coins leave the runway, will: strike the anviliand rebound into a rejection pathwhichisalsozfollowedby. slugs Plate 3 carries an inclined ru nway 9 and plate 4.carries a r n ag net 10. I

A coin chute 11 is mounted at the top of plate 1 and fed thereto are led tofa cradle 12 which allows smaller coins such as one-cent, five-cent andten-cent pieces to; pass through for sortinglower down in the sorter. A twenty -fiye cent, piece or a slug of the same size will, however, rockthe 'c rad I eand;b deposited on the upper end of runway 9, unless it'is a fe rrol isu 1 slug in which case it will be held by a magnet 13 FIC L Z pivotally mounted at the back of plate I] to extend through;

small aperture 14 therein. Older type genuine coins, togetherwith nonferrous slugs such as brass and copper, roll down the runway past magnet and their speeds are affected by the latter so that the brass slugs leave the'runway at a greater speed and the copper slugs leave the' r'unway at a slower speed than that of the coins. The new type of all-nickel Canadian twenty-five cent piece is drawn throughan aperture 15 in the plate by a magnet '16 against the resilient action of a springurged gate 17 and enters a guide 18 secured to the .back of plate 1. The bottom of the guide forms a runway for the allnickel coin and the guide has an inwardly sloping portion 19 which serves to divert the coin through an aperture 20 in plate '1, whereafter it follows the same eventual acceptance path as the other genuine coins.

. Referring now to FIG. 3,. it will be seen that there is an anvil 21 spaced from the end of the runway 9, the anvil forming the lower terminal portionof a sweeper am' l 22 adapted, when actuated, to-sweep across the magn et lo and dislodge anything they leave. the end of; the runway at: different: speeds, and an held thereby between plates 1 and 4. The sweeper arm is actuated by depression of roller 23 which happens when the coin return lever-of the vending machine is operated by the user.

The roller'23- is rotatably mounted on a member 24 which is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 2 5exten'ding forwardly from back plate 1 and has a forwardly' extending intermediate flange 26-'and a forwardly extending. cam 27, the latter cooperating with a roller 28(FIG. I) mounted on the upper I, e nd;of plate 3" to move the plate 3 away from plate 1 as the whiehleave the runway, at. a: speedslowen-tham thattatwhich I path followed by other'genuine coins, Moreover, I have'found that-lgcanform the anvil ,as part of asweeper arm which,-whenactuated, sweeps past themagnet to dislodge. anything-heldby the latter, The sweeperarm is. biased upwardly against stopmeans and said-stop; means .is preferably adjustably. mounted H to provide for fine adjustmentpfthe normal position offthe anvil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION QE-THE DRAWINGS 1 A presently preferred embodiment of the invent-ion will now be described, by .way of example, with-reference to the accom- I I pa nying drawings, in which; I

FI G Lisa front .elet aiional .viewofa coin sorterernbodying the present invention;

F IG.. Z isarearelevational view. thereof; and

l-IG. 3 is .a .tragmentary part-sectional view of only; those" parts of :the sorter essential forlanunderstandinglof the inven-' tion DETAILED DESCRIPTION- The coin sorter, as shown, has aback mountingplnte I pro.

vided withlugs 2, for mounting it in avendingmachinc. A'Iargc front plate.) and a small front platcArar,pivotally-mounted on a pivot p in Sycarried in brackets fi which-extendinwardlytrom a forwardlyextendingflange. You. the plate. L plates 3 and 4 being independently-urged toward. plate-.1 rby springmeans 8.-

I separator .40 to he rejected as the brass slugs are. It will also be 40' when 23 is depressed, thus moving the runway 9 out of the wayofarm 2 2-as itsweeps between plates 1and4.

The sweepen ann' 22 is pivotally; mounted on-pivot pin 29 on theback'. plate 1-'and.liesbetween plate 1 and member 24', the

latter having'adrive pin'lSO-which extends rearwardly through a.curved'slot' 31 in the arm"22"t o drive the arm as the roller 23 is depressedandto retract-the arm as the roller is returned to its normal positionshown; The roller 23 and hence the arm 22 are-held1in normal position by a spring 32 and stop 33. The springis coiled around pivot pin 25 and has one end extending under-an anchor. in 34bit plate I'andthe other'end extending underItIange ZG on member2'4. I

The'stop:33E is, in the form of a substantially rectangular blockseatedtin a shallow recess 35in the plate 1 and extendingforwardly therefrom;The block has two slots 36 therein and two screws 37 extend? freely. through said slots and are screwed-intosuitable tappedholes inplate 1. An Allen screw '38 threaded through a tapped hole in a forward projection 39 on'plate 15 engages the opposite side of-the'stop from that engagedlliy arm-22.1and*the normal'position of the anvil is thusfinely adjustable. Y

- 1 As isclwrly shown'in FIG. 3 ,'brass.slugslave the runway at Y a sufficiently greattspeed'that' they strike the anvil'2l and rebound, as. shown, to'the left hand side of the separator 40 so thatth'ey will followa rejectio'n path and be returned to the user atith'e front of'thevending'machine. Silver-containing, coins; on the other hand, leavethe runway at a slower speed and the-normal position of the anvil is such that they pass underncath it and fall to the righ'tof the separator 40 so that they passlollowan acceptance path. Copper slugs leave the runway atan even-slower speed and they, too, full to the left of clear fronrFlG. J'that all-nickel coins which leave the runway via th'eraperture IS'may-reenter the space between the plates via the aperture 20' without being impeded'by the anvil, since it is for the most part disposed above the aperture.

As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the gate 17 is pivotallymounted on a hinge pin 41 and is urged forwardly by spring 42 coiled around the hinge pin and having one end 43 engaging the back of the gate and the other end 44 engaging the back of plate 1. A stop 45 extends upwardly from the gate to engage the back of plate 1 and prevent the gate from passing forwardly through the aperture 15. A second stop 46 is attached at one end to plate 1 by a screw 47 and extends down behind the stop 45 to limit rearward movement of the gate, as otherwise the gate might swing back too far and allow a coin passing through aperture to come too close to magnet 16 and be slowed down to an undesirable extent.

WHAT I CLAIM AS MY INVENTION IS:

1. A coin sorter having a first runway down which genuine coins and slugs travel past a magnet and are influenced by the latter so that they leave the end of the runway at different speeds, an anvil spaced from the end of said runway and disposed above the path of genuine coins passing from the end of said runway into an acceptance path, the anvil being positioned such that slugs leaving the runway at a speed in excess of that at which genuine coins leave the runway will strike the anvil and rebound into a rejector path which is also followed by slugs which leave the runway at a speed slower than that at which genuine coins leave the runway, a plate having a first aperture upstream of said magnet and a second aperture downstream of said magnet, a second runway on the opposite side of said plate from said first runway, means for diverting coins made of nickel laterally from said first runway through said first aperture to said second runway, and means for diverting said coins made of nickel, after they have passed the magnet, through said second aperture in said plate to terminate in said acceptance path, at least a major portion of said anvil being disposed above said second aperture to avoid impeding coins passing through the latter.

2. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anvil forms a terminal portion of asweeping arm which, when actuated, sweeps past said magnet to dislodge anything held by the latter, stop means being mounted in the sorter and means being provided for holding said sweeping arm position abutting said stop means.

.3. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stop means is adjustably mounted in the coin sorter to enable fine adjustment of the normal position of the anvil.

4. In a coin sorter wherein coins roll down an inclined runway between plates and past a magnet and genuine coins are separated from spurious coins or slugs in dependence upon their speed on leaving said runway, the improvement which comprises an anvil suspended from a pivot above said runway, resilient means urging said anvil away from the end of said runway, stop means for limiting the movement of the anvil away from the end of the runway, and means mounting said stop means adjustably in the coin sorter, the arrangement being such that slugs leaving the runway at a speed in excess of that at which genuine coinsleave the runway will strike the anvil and rebound into a rejection path which is also followed by slugs which leave the runway at a speed below that at which genuine coins leave the runway, genuine coins passing under the anvil into an acceptance path.

5. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 4, one of said plates having exit means and reentrance means for coins made from nickel, said exit means being disposed upstream of said magnet and said reentrance means being disposed downstream of said magnet, said anvil being mounted with at least a major portion thereof above said reentrance means.

6. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said anvil forms part of a sweeping arm adapted, when actuated, to sweep past said magnet.

normally in a 

1. A coin sorter having a first runway down which genuine coins and slugs travel past a magnet and are influenced by the latter so that they leave the end of the runway at different speeds, an anvil spaced from the end of said runway and disposed above the path of genuine coins passing from the end of said runway into an acceptance path, the anvil being positioned such that slugs leaving the runway at a speed in excess of that at which genuine coins leave the runway will strike the anvil and rebound into a rejector path which is also followed by slugs which leave the runway at a speed slower than that at which genuine coins leave the runway, a plate having a first aperture upstream of said magnet and a second aperture downstream of said magnet, a second runway on the opposite side of said plate from said first runway, means for diverting coins made of nickel laterally from said first runway through said first aperture to said second runway, and means for diverting said coins made of nickel, after they have passed the magnet, through said second aperture in said plate to terminate in said acceptance path, at least a major portion of said anvil being disposed above said second aperture to avoid impeding coins passing through the latter.
 2. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anvil forms a terminal portion of a sweeping arm which, when actuated, sweeps past said magnet to dislodge anything held by the latter, stop means being mounted in the sorter and means being provided for holding said sweeping arm normally in a position abutting said stop means.
 3. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stop means is adjustably mounted in the coin sorter to enable fine adjustment of the normal position of the anvil.
 4. In a coin sorter wherein coins roll down an inclined runway between plates and past a magnet and genuine coins are separated from spurious coIns or slugs in dependence upon their speed on leaving said runway, the improvement which comprises an anvil suspended from a pivot above said runway, resilient means urging said anvil away from the end of said runway, stop means for limiting the movement of the anvil away from the end of the runway, and means mounting said stop means adjustably in the coin sorter, the arrangement being such that slugs leaving the runway at a speed in excess of that at which genuine coins leave the runway will strike the anvil and rebound into a rejection path which is also followed by slugs which leave the runway at a speed below that at which genuine coins leave the runway, genuine coins passing under the anvil into an acceptance path.
 5. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 4, one of said plates having exit means and reentrance means for coins made from nickel, said exit means being disposed upstream of said magnet and said reentrance means being disposed downstream of said magnet, said anvil being mounted with at least a major portion thereof above said reentrance means.
 6. A coin sorter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said anvil forms part of a sweeping arm adapted, when actuated, to sweep past said magnet. 